§ 3003. Qualifications of superintendents. 1. No person except one in
possession of a valid superintendent's certificate prior to July first,
nineteen hundred seventy-one shall hereafter be eligible to the position
of superintendent of schools, deputy superintendent of schools,
associate superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent of schools
or other superintendent of schools or member of a board of examiners in
a city school district or as a superintendent of schools in a union free
or central school district having a population of more than forty-five
hundred, or eligible to appointment to the office of district
superintendent of schools in this state, who is not eligible for a
superintendent's certificate issued by the commissioner in accordance
with the following requirements:

a. He shall be a graduate of a college or university approved by the
commissioner and in addition shall have completed sixty semester hours
in graduate courses approved by the commissioner; and

b. At the time of his appointment each shall have completed three
years of teaching experience satisfactory to the commissioner in public
or non-public schools.

2. The commissioner of education shall issue a superintendent's
permanent certificate to any person who on March twenty-fifth, nineteen
hundred thirty-seven, held or was appointed to, a position of
superintendent of schools, deputy superintendent of schools, associate
superintendent of schools, assistant superintendent of schools or other
superintendent of schools or member of a board of examiners in a city or
as a superintendent of schools in a village having a population of more
than forty-five hundred, or district superintendent of schools.

3. The commissioner, at the request of a board of education or board
of cooperative educational services, may provide for the issuance of a
certificate as superintendent of schools to exceptionally qualified
persons who do not meet all of the graduate course or teaching
requirements of subdivision one of this section, but whose exceptional
training and experience are the substantial equivalent of such
requirements and qualify such persons for the duties of a superintendent
of schools.

4. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the commissioner shall
require that any person applying, on or after January first, nineteen
hundred ninety-one, for a superintendent's certificate shall, in
addition to all the other requirements, have completed two hours of
coursework or training regarding the identification and reporting of
child abuse and maltreatment. The coursework or training shall be
obtained from an institution or provider which has been approved by the
department to provide such coursework or training. The coursework or
training shall include information regarding the physical and behavioral
indicators of child abuse and maltreatment and the statutory reporting
requirements set out in sections four hundred thirteen through four
hundred twenty of the social services law, including but not limited to,
when and how a report must be made, what other actions the reporter is
mandated or authorized to take, the legal protections afforded
reporters, and the consequences for failing to report. Each applicant
shall provide the department with documentation showing that he or she
has completed the required training.

5. The commissioner may provide for the issuance of a certificate as
deputy, associate or assistant superintendent for business to any
qualified person who meets all of the requirements of subdivision one of
this section, except those contained in paragraph b of subdivision one
of this section.